Animal faeces collector device

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a collapsible animal faeces collector device ( 1 ) having a handle portion ( 2 ) and a receptacle support ( 6 ), supporting a receptacle ( 8 ) with an upwardly facing surface ( 10 ) for receiving a faecal deposit ( 24 ). The device ( 1 ) is of a lightweight construction, the handle ( 2 ) and receptacle support ( 6 ) have just sufficient strength to bear in cantilevered support an empty receptacle ( 8 ) for manipulation into a faeces-receiving position on the ground below an animal&#39;s anus, but insufficient strength to bear in cantilevered support a receptacle ( 8 ) loaded with faeces. The receptacle ( 8 ), when empty, is supported equally around the receptacle support ( 6 ) by a rim portion ( 12 ). When the device ( 1 ) loaded with faeces ( 24 ) is suspended, the rim portion ( 12 ) moves on the receptacle support ( 6 ) to collect together over the contents of the receptacle ( 8 ). The handle portion and receptacle support are preferably inflatable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved device for catching andcontaining animal faeces, particularly dog faeces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

International Publication No. WO 96/07317 (in the name of inventor JohnCharles Mark LANGLEY and assigned to the applicant for the presentinvention) discloses a dog faeces collector which has significantpractical and economic advantages over previously known dog faecescollectors. The device disclosed in WO 96/07317 describes a devicehaving a collapsible elongate handle provided at a distal end with areceptacle having an upwardly facing deposition surface which, in adeployed condition, is formed and arranged for receiving a faecaldeposit. The elongate handle is formed and arranged so as to becollapsible into a highly compact pocketable form in a collapsed stateof the device and can be deployed to a substantially self-supportingstate in a deployed empty state of the device. In particular theinvention is based upon the recognition, for the first time, that thehandle and receptacle support means may have a load bearing capabilityjust sufficient for bearing, in cantilevered support, an emptyreceptacle and which is substantially insufficient for bearing, incantilevered support, the turning moment exerted by the faecally loadedreceptacle. In a preferred embodiment described in WO 96/07317 thehandle and receptacle support means are inflatable.

WO 96/07317 describes the use of a “security means” in the form of aclosure means such as a cover or, preferably, a draw string or likemeans for drawing in together the rim or support means of the receptacleover the contents (faeces) of the receptacle. In the specific embodimentdescribed therein the draw string passes down through the handle andaround the inflated receptacle support such that when the draw string ispulled the rim portion for supporting the receptacle “draws the centerportion 12 of the tube 2 together so as to cover over the contents 32 ofthe bag 14 sealing them inside so that a user may safely andhygienically dispose of the device 1 and the contents containedtherein”.

What the inventor of the present invention has identified is that whilstthe arrangement described above and in WO 96/07317 functions perfectlywell, from a manufacturing and economic point of view use of anadditional component part, in the form of a drawstring, is less thandesirable.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid or minimize one ormore of the foregoing limitations.

The present invention provides an animal faeces collector devicecomprising a collapsible elongate handle means provided at a distal endwith a receptacle support means supporting a receptacle having anupwardly facing deposition surface in a deployed condition of the devicefor receiving a faecal deposit thereon, said elongate handle means andsaid receptacle support means being formed and arranged for supportingthe receptacle in empty and faecally loaded conditions thereof, and saidelongate handle means, said receptacle support means and said receptaclebeing formed and arranged so as to be collapsible into a highly compactpocketable form in a collapsed state of the device, and to be deployableto a substantially self supporting state in a deployed empty state ofthe device, said device being of lightweight form of construction withsaid handle means and said receptacle support means formed and arrangedso as to have a load bearing capability, at least in use of the device,which is just sufficient for bearing, in cantilevered support, theturning moment exerted by said handle means and said receptacle in anempty condition for enabling substantially positive remote manipulationof said empty receptacle into a faeces-receiving position on the groundsubstantially below an animal's anus in use of the device; said handlemeans and receptacle support means being formed and arranged with atensile strength and substantially restricted rigidity and a lightnessof construction, to maximize collapsibility into a highly compactpocketable form and to facilitate easy and economic disposability of thedevice, and which load bearing capability is substantially insufficientfor bearing, in cantilevered support, the turning moment exerted by thereceptacle in a faecally loaded condition thereof; whilst enabling thereceptacle to be captively suspended in a faecally loaded conditionthereof by said handle means for conveyance of the faecally loadeddevice to a disposal site, in use of the device, characterized in thatin said deployed condition of the device said receptacle is supportedsubstantially equally around the receptacle support means by a rimportion and that said rim portion of said receptacle may move on saidreceptacle support means from a first position with said depositionsurface of said receptacle in said upwardly facing orientation to asecond position on a portion of said receptacle support means with saiddeposition surface loaded with faeces and the rim portion of saidreceptacle collected together over the contents of the receptacle.

Thus with the animal faeces collector device according to the presentinvention the weight of faeces contained within the receptacle causesthe rim portion of the receptacle to slide down on the receptaclesupport means when the device is suspended in a faecally loadedcondition.

Preferably said device is formed and arranged so as to be inflatablefrom said collapsed state to said substantially self-supporting state.For example, the elongate handle portion may comprise a single elongateinflatable tube, or a plurality of elongate inflatable tubes, in side byside relation.

Desirably said receptacle is supported equally around the receptaclesupport means by said rim portion such that it may move from said firstposition to said second position in an inflated, deflated or partiallydeflated condition of the device.

Preferably said elongate handle portion and said receptacle supportmeans are inflatable and are in fluid communication with each other soas to permit inflation of both the handle portion and the receptaclesupport means by one use of one inflation means. The inflation means maycomprise, for example, the user blowing into a mouthpiece located at thetop end of the handle, remote from the receptacle support.

Preferably the receptacle is provided with a foot engagement portion,for engaging with the underside of a user's foot so as to allow theraising of the handle and the receptacle support means up from theground (whilst retaining the receptacle substantially on the ground) sothat the receptacle slides from said first position where it issupported equally around the receptacle support means to said secondposition wherein the rim portion of the receptacle collects togetherover the contents of receptacle and is supported on only a portion ofsaid receptacle support means (which may be in an inflated, deflated orpartially deflated state).

Preferably there is used in the construction of the inflatable device, alight, flexible, waterproof material such as plastic sheet material forinstance polyvinylchloride, polyamide, polyalkene, polyethylene.Desirably there is used a biodegradable material to facilitateenvironmentally acceptable disposable of the closed receptacle with thefaecal matter contained therein.

Preferably said deposition surface when in said deployed condition has adiameter of from 5 cm to 30 cm, desirably 10 cm to 20 cm, though it willbe appreciated that the size and shape required will depend to a largeextent on the size of the dog and of the faecal deposits generallyproduced by such a dog. Various shapes of deposition surface may beused, for example, circular, oval, triangular or sectoral. It will beappreciated that the shape of the deposition surface will be dictatedsubstantially by the shape of the receptacle support means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further preferred features and advantages of the present invention willappear from the following detailed description given by way of exampleof a preferred embodiment illustrated with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:—

FIG. 1–1 a is a perspective view of a dog faeces collector device in aninflated self supporting state; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device after use in a collapsedcondition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OS THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference is first made to FIG. 1 and FIG. 1 a which shows a dog faecescollector device of the invention generally indicated by referencenumber 1. In more detail the device 1 comprises a collapsible elongatehandle 2 provided at a distal end 4 with a receptacle support ring 6(shown partially in dashed line) for supporting a receptacle 8 having anupwardly facing deposition surface 10. The handle 2 and the receptaclesupport ring are formed from two inflatable tubes. In the inflatedcondition shown in FIG. 1 the receptacle 8 is supported on thereceptacle support ring 6 by a rim portion 12. In more detail the rimportion 12 of the receptacle 8 comprises an elongate tube 14 which runsaround the top of the receptacle 8 and through which said receptaclesupport ring 6 passes. The rim portion 12 is not fixed to the receptaclesupport ring 6 but may move slidably thereon (likened to a curtain on acurtain rail). In the inflated condition shown in FIG. 1 the receptacle8 is supported equally around the receptacle support ring 6 by the rimportion 12 so as to define the deposition surface 10 on the receptacle8.

The handle 2 and receptacle support ring 6 comprise two inflatable tubeswhich are inflated through a mouthpiece 16 at the top 18 of the handle2. The handle 2 itself comprises two side by side tubes (indicated by adashed line) which at the distal end 4 of the handle 2 split to form thereceptacle support ring 6. The ends of both tubes are connected together20.

Also shown in FIG. 1 is a foot engagement strap 22 which is attached tothe receptacle 8. The foot engagement strap 22 provides a means forholding the receptacle 8 down whilst the handle 2 is pulled upwardlythereby causing the receptacle support ring 6 to be partially withdrawnfrom within the rim portion 12 of the receptacle 8 and thereby causingthe rim portion 12 to collect together and slide down (shown by arrows Ain FIG. 2) over the receptacle support ring 6 towards the portion 20where the two inflatable tubes of the receptacle support ring 6 arejoined. The receptacle 8 is then captively held by the end of thesupport ring 6.

FIG. 2 shows the device of FIG. 1 with faeces 24 contained within thereceptacle 8 and the rim portion 12 of the receptacle 8 collected in onitself (like an open curtain) covering over the contents and beingsupported at the end of the receptacle support ring 6 (which may be inan inflated, partially inflated or deflated condition).

Various modifications may be made to the above-described embodimentwithout departing from the scope of the present invention.

1. An animal faeces collector device (1) comprising a collapsibleelongate handle means (2) provided at a distal (4) end with a receptaclesupport means (6) supporting a receptacle (8) having an upwardly facingdeposition surface (10) in a deployed condition of the device forreceiving a faecal deposit (24) thereon, said elongate handle means (2)and said receptacle support means (6) being formed and arranged forsupporting the receptacle (8) in empty and faecally loaded conditionsthereof, and said elongate handle means (2), said receptacle supportmeans (6) and said receptacle (8) being formed and arranged so as to becollapsible into a highly compact pocketable form in a collapsed stateof the device, and to be deployable to a substantially self supportingstate in a deployed empty state of the device, said device being oflightweight form of construction with said handle means (2) and saidreceptacle support means (6) formed and arranged so as to have a loadbearing capability, at least in use of the device, which is justsufficient for bearing, in cantilevered support, the turning momentexerted by said handle means (2) and said receptacle (8) in an emptycondition for enabling substantially positive remote manipulation ofsaid empty receptacle (8) into a faeces-receiving position on the groundsubstantially below an animal's anus in use of the device; said handlemeans (2) and receptacle support means (6) being formed and arrangedwith a tensile strength and substantially restricted rigidity and alightness of construction, to maximize collapsibility into a highlycompact pocketable form and to facilitate easy and economicdisposability of the device, and which load bearing capability issubstantially insufficient for bearing, in cantilevered support, theturning moment exerted by the receptacle (8) in a faecally loadedcondition thereof; whilst enabling the receptacle (8) to be captivelysuspended in a faecally loaded condition thereof by said handle means(2) for conveyance of the faecally loaded device to a disposal site, inuse of the device, characterized in that in said deployed condition ofthe device said receptacle (8) is supported substantially equally aroundthe receptacle support means (6) by a rim portion (12) and that said rimportion (12) of said receptacle (8) may move on said receptacle supportmeans (6) from a first position with said deposition surface (10) ofsaid receptacle (8) in said upwardly facing orientation to a secondposition on a portion of said receptacle support means (6) with saiddeposition surface (10) loaded with faeces (24) and the rim portion ofsaid receptacle (12) collected together over the contents of thereceptacle (8).
 2. An animal faeces collector device as claimed in claim1 wherein said device (1) is formed and arranged so as to be inflatablefrom said collapsed state to said substantially self-supporting state.3. An animal faeces collector device (1) as claimed in claim I whereinsaid elongate handle means (2) and said receptacle support means (6) areinflatable and are in fluid communication with each other.
 4. An animalfaeces collector device (1) as claimed in claim 1 wherein the receptacle(8) is provided with a foot engagement portion (22). formed and arrangedfor engaging, in use, with the underside of a user's foot so as to allowthe raising of said elongate handle means (2) and the receptacle supportmeans (6) up from the ground.
 5. An animal faeces collector device (1)as claimed in claim 2 wherein the material used in the construction ofsaid inflatable device is of a light, flexible, waterproof plastic sheetmaterial selected from the group including polyvinylchloride, polyamide,polyalkene or polyethylene.
 6. An animal faeces collector device (1) asclaimed in claim 2 wherein the material used in the constriction of saidinflatable device is biodegradable.
 7. An animal faeces collector device(1) as claimed in claim 1 wherein said deposition surface (10) when insaid deployed condition has a diameter of from 5 cm to 30 cm.
 8. Ananimal faeces collector device (1) as claimed in claim 1 wherein saiddeposition surface (10), when in said deployed condition has a diameterof from 10 to 20 cm.
 9. An animal faeces collector device (1) as claimedin claim 1 wherein said elongated handle means (2) and receptaclesupport means (6) comprises two inflatable tubes inflatable through amouthpiece. (16) at the top end (18) of said handle.